Project Associate-I in Deep Learning and Hyperspectral Imaging for Tea Leaf Grading, CSIR-IHBT Palampur

Job Description

CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, is holding a walk-in interview on 24 September 2026 for a Project Associate-I in deep learning for tea leaf grading on a project that combines hyperspectral images with leaf metabolite data to grade tea leaves and improve tea quality (Advertisement No. 16/2026, position code 16014).

At a glance

• Position: Project Associate-I (one post)
• Where: CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh
• Pay: Rs 31,000 plus HRA with NET/GATE or an equivalent national exam, otherwise Rs 25,000 plus HRA
• Duration: project tenure up to 5 December 2026
• Interview: 24 September 2026, 9:30 AM (walk-in)

The project (GAP-0338) is titled “Selective grading of tea leaves using deep learning with integration of hyperspectral images and metabolites to enhance tea quality”. Hyperspectral cameras record far more wavelengths than an ordinary camera, and combined with chemical measurements they can reveal leaf quality that the eye cannot see.

Why this role matters

Tea is graded largely by hand, and automated grading could make quality more consistent for growers. For a bioinformatics or computational biology graduate, the post is a chance to apply machine learning to imaging and plant chemistry data.

About the Project Associate deep learning tea post at CSIR-IHBT

• Deep learning on hyperspectral images of tea leaves, integrated with metabolite data
• Linux administration, machine learning, imaging and Python work, the skills the advertisement prefers

The advertisement does not list duties; the points above follow from the project title and its desirable skills.

Eligibility

• B.Tech. in bioinformatics or computational biology, or M.Sc./M.Tech. in bioinformatics or computational biology from a recognised university
• Desirable: experience in Linux administration and ML/AI, and knowledge of imaging and Python
• Age: at most 35 as on 24 September 2026 (five years’ relaxation for SC/ST/PwBD and women, three years for OBC)

Candidates reporting after 10:00 AM are not allowed to appear, and online interviews are not offered. Candidates whose results are awaited are not eligible. The selection committee may hold a multiple-choice test before the interview on the same day. Engagement is temporary, on behalf of the sponsoring agency, and lasts for the project or six years, whichever is earlier; performance is reviewed every six months. No travelling allowance is paid. Queries go only to recruitment.ihbt@csir.res.in.

Pay and duration

• Rs 31,000 per month plus HRA for candidates who have qualified CSIR-UGC/ICAR/ICMR NET (including lectureship or assistant professorship), GATE, or a national-level exam by central government departments such as DBT or DST
• Rs 25,000 per month plus HRA for others
• Temporary and co-terminus with the project, whose tenure runs to 5 December 2026

How to apply

Come to CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, on the interview date at 9:30 AM (reporting after 10:00 AM is not allowed) with the application in the prescribed format, which is attached to the advertisement, with a recent colour passport-size photograph affixed, self-attested photocopies of your certificates of age, qualifications and experience, and all the originals. Use a separate form for each position code if you apply for more than one. This post’s interview is on 24 September 2026.

Key dates

• Advertisement No. 16/2026 posted on the CSIR-IHBT website on 8 September 2026
• Walk-in interview: 24 September 2026, 9:30 AM (no entry after 10:00 AM)

Please read the official CSIR-IHBT Advertisement No. 16/2026 before applying, and browse more Research Fellow jobs on ResearchJobs.in.